We rank 4-year schools (national universities, liberal arts colleges, baccalaureate colleges, and master’s universities) based on their contribution to the public good in three broad categories. Those categories are: Social Mobility (recruiting and graduating low-income students), Research (producing cutting-edge scholarship and PhDs), and Service (encouraging students to give something back to their country).

Cornell was also listed on Washington Monthly’s Best Bang for Buck–Midwest ranking at #43 of 385 schools. That’s up 22 from last year’s position at #65.

Washington Monthly has been ranking colleges for 13 years with the focus of finding schools that make a difference in the country.